BMW GOES TOURING
GErMaN car giant BMW has launched its first sporty M3 Touring model — with its world premiere in Britain. The company chose the Goodwood Festival of Speed (goodwood.com), which ends tomorrow, to unveil its estate car costing from £80,550 with a top speed of up to 174 mph.
Indeed, 50 years of BMW’s M motorsport division are being celebrated at Goodwood with the Bavarian company given pride of place on the lawn outside Goodwood house.
Stretching to nearly 4.8m, the new M3 Touring will be offered only in Competition trim with M xDrive all-wheel drive. Order books open in September for early 2023 deliveries.
Its 510hp 3-litre straight six inline M TwinPower Turbo petrol engine packs enough punch to propel it from rest to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds or to 124mph in 12.9 seconds. The 8-speed automatic M-Steptronic with Drivelogic transmission allows both fully automated gear changes and manual shifts using the selector lever or steering wheel paddles.
With soaring fuel prices, its thirsty average 28 mpg economy will be heavy on the pocket.
Similarly, CO2 emissions of between 229g/km and 235g/km will garner no friends with the green lobby.
But it is a practical proposition for owners who want to combine performance fun with family life. The five-seater’s standard boot space of 500 litres expands to 1,510 litres with three rear seats folded down.
It’s longer, wider and lower than the 3 Series Touring. It rides on large light-alloy wheels — 19 in at the front, 20 in at the rear — in jet black doublespoke design as standard or optional bi-colour diamond polished finish.
adventurous owners can even monitor their drifting skills, and Goodwood Festival goers were treated to spectacular smokefilled, tyre rubber-burning drifting displays from stunt drivers in the new car.